Home.tvstreamsurfer.com virus (Removal Instructions)
Home.tvstreamsurfer.com virus Removal Guide
What is Home.tvstreamsurfer.com virus?
Home.tvstreamsurfer.com – a fake search engine that should not be trusted
The browser hijacker shows search results with ads injected in them
Home.tvstreamsurfer.com virus is an allegedly useful search engine[1] that integrates additional features which allow the user to browse TV shows, movies and add favorites directly on his/her homepage. Such functions may seem useful, but the truth is that TV Stream Surfer authors simply preach false promises to cover up the malicious nature of the program.
In reality, this search engine is designed to spy[2] on the users, learn about their browsing habits and generate targeted advertising [3] based on the obtained information. This way, the users are more likely to interact with the provided ads consequentially, providing advertisers with a greater chance of generating ad revenue[4].
The worst part is that most users that find Home.tvstreamsurfer.com on their computers are subjected to extensive advertising completely against their will. The virus infiltrates computers by stealth, using various deceptive advertising techniques which will be discussed later in the article.
Learning about these techniques may help prevent malware attacks. As for the already infected users, the primary focus should be the browser hijacker's removal. All the necessary steps that need to be taken in order to achieve that are provided at the end of the article.
name | Home.tvstreamsurfer.com |
---|---|
Type | Browser hijacker, potentially unwanted program |
Symptoms | Altered browser settings; redirects to questionable domains; search results contain lots of ads |
Distribution | Fake Flash Player updates, software bundling |
Elimination | All infections should be dealt with accordingly – removed with anti-malware software |
System Health | Software like the FortectIntego app will ensure that your device runs smoothly and doesn't crash |
If you have been a victim of the Home.tvstreamsurfer.com hijack, and this virus is still on your computer, we should warn you to be especially careful while browsing the Web. Since this PUP is categorized as a browser hijacker[5], you can expect it to assign its domain as a default browser page, which will load every time the browser is launched or open in a new browser tab or window.
As mentioned previously, the initial problem with this website is that the search services it offers are not trustworthy and merely utilized for advertising purposes. In case you are looking for some legitimate information, the persistent redirect issue and never-ending ads can become highly disruptive.
Besides, you can never know if the advertised content will not expose you to some potentially dangerous software, fraudulent services, or products. Hence, security professionals suggest the users remove Home.tvstreamsurfer.com and look for a more reputable Internet search alternative.
The easiest way to get rid of any suspicious apps or files is by scanning your device with Malwarebytes, SpyHunter 5Combo Cleaner, or similar anti-malware software. It will identify, locate, and remove all malicious entries within a few minutes. Once that's done, to ensure that your device runs without any hiccups, please use the FortectIntego PC repair tool.
How my device was infected?
You may already know that potentially unwanted programs, especially browser hijackers are placed on the victims’ computers by deception. Home.tvstreamsurfer.com is no different from its kin. The virus may install on the targeted computer as a supposedly legitimate software update; the users may download it after interacting with infected download buttons or corrupt ads.
However, software bundling is probably the most common way the browser hijacker infects browsers. When downloading freeware or shareware applications on their computers users often choose quick or recommended installation settings in order to get through the process quicker.
This is a dangerous practice that is especially useful for the malware creators who can attach malicious programs to such software packages and install them without the user’s knowledge. Thus, advanced installation mode should always always be opted for in order to stop undesirable content from reaching your device.
What is the quickest way to remove Home.tvstreamsurfer.com?
The fastest way to get rid of the virus highly depends on the individual user’s skills. For some, manual removal may be the most convenient approach to exterminating the unwanted program. Nevertheless, most security experts agree that automatic elimination is the quickest and, undoubtedly, the most precise approach that helps banish the virus from the infected device without leaving anything behind.
Thus, if you are looking for the safest way to remove Home.tvstreamsurfer.com from the computer, we recommend investing in a professional antivirus utility and use it for the system investigation and clean up. If you still want to do it yourself, at least use our guides presented below.
You may remove virus damage with a help of FortectIntego. SpyHunter 5Combo Cleaner and Malwarebytes are recommended to detect potentially unwanted programs and viruses with all their files and registry entries that are related to them.
Getting rid of Home.tvstreamsurfer.com virus. Follow these steps
Uninstall from Windows
The article's culprit is undoubtedly an annoying application that simply must be eliminated from the computer. Below you will find recommendations on how to do it safely.
Instructions for Windows 10/8 machines:
- Enter Control Panel into Windows search box and hit Enter or click on the search result.
- Under Programs, select Uninstall a program.
- From the list, find the entry of the suspicious program.
- Right-click on the application and select Uninstall.
- If User Account Control shows up, click Yes.
- Wait till uninstallation process is complete and click OK.
If you are Windows 7/XP user, proceed with the following instructions:
- Click on Windows Start > Control Panel located on the right pane (if you are Windows XP user, click on Add/Remove Programs).
- In Control Panel, select Programs > Uninstall a program.
- Pick the unwanted application by clicking on it once.
- At the top, click Uninstall/Change.
- In the confirmation prompt, pick Yes.
- Click OK once the removal process is finished.
Delete from macOS
Remove items from Applications folder:
- From the menu bar, select Go > Applications.
- In the Applications folder, look for all related entries.
- Click on the app and drag it to Trash (or right-click and pick Move to Trash)
To fully remove an unwanted app, you need to access Application Support, LaunchAgents, and LaunchDaemons folders and delete relevant files:
- Select Go > Go to Folder.
- Enter /Library/Application Support and click Go or press Enter.
- In the Application Support folder, look for any dubious entries and then delete them.
- Now enter /Library/LaunchAgents and /Library/LaunchDaemons folders the same way and terminate all the related .plist files.
Remove from Microsoft Edge
Browser hijacker may leave some of its helper objects on your computer. To make sure they don't help the virus bounce back to your browser delete all the suspicious add-ons, extensions, and toolbars and reset your browser.
Delete unwanted extensions from MS Edge:
- Select Menu (three horizontal dots at the top-right of the browser window) and pick Extensions.
- From the list, pick the extension and click on the Gear icon.
- Click on Uninstall at the bottom.
Clear cookies and other browser data:
- Click on the Menu (three horizontal dots at the top-right of the browser window) and select Privacy & security.
- Under Clear browsing data, pick Choose what to clear.
- Select everything (apart from passwords, although you might want to include Media licenses as well, if applicable) and click on Clear.
Restore new tab and homepage settings:
- Click the menu icon and choose Settings.
- Then find On startup section.
- Click Disable if you found any suspicious domain.
Reset MS Edge if the above steps did not work:
- Press on Ctrl + Shift + Esc to open Task Manager.
- Click on More details arrow at the bottom of the window.
- Select Details tab.
- Now scroll down and locate every entry with Microsoft Edge name in it. Right-click on each of them and select End Task to stop MS Edge from running.
If this solution failed to help you, you need to use an advanced Edge reset method. Note that you need to backup your data before proceeding.
- Find the following folder on your computer: C:\\Users\\%username%\\AppData\\Local\\Packages\\Microsoft.MicrosoftEdge_8wekyb3d8bbwe.
- Press Ctrl + A on your keyboard to select all folders.
- Right-click on them and pick Delete
- Now right-click on the Start button and pick Windows PowerShell (Admin).
- When the new window opens, copy and paste the following command, and then press Enter:
Get-AppXPackage -AllUsers -Name Microsoft.MicrosoftEdge | Foreach {Add-AppxPackage -DisableDevelopmentMode -Register “$($_.InstallLocation)\\AppXManifest.xml” -Verbose
Instructions for Chromium-based Edge
Delete extensions from MS Edge (Chromium):
- Open Edge and click select Settings > Extensions.
- Delete unwanted extensions by clicking Remove.
Clear cache and site data:
- Click on Menu and go to Settings.
- Select Privacy, search and services.
- Under Clear browsing data, pick Choose what to clear.
- Under Time range, pick All time.
- Select Clear now.
Reset Chromium-based MS Edge:
- Click on Menu and select Settings.
- On the left side, pick Reset settings.
- Select Restore settings to their default values.
- Confirm with Reset.
Remove from Mozilla Firefox (FF)
Remove dangerous extensions:
- Open Mozilla Firefox browser and click on the Menu (three horizontal lines at the top-right of the window).
- Select Add-ons.
- In here, select unwanted plugin and click Remove.
Reset the homepage:
- Click three horizontal lines at the top right corner to open the menu.
- Choose Options.
- Under Home options, enter your preferred site that will open every time you newly open the Mozilla Firefox.
Clear cookies and site data:
- Click Menu and pick Settings.
- Go to Privacy & Security section.
- Scroll down to locate Cookies and Site Data.
- Click on Clear Data…
- Select Cookies and Site Data, as well as Cached Web Content and press Clear.
Reset Mozilla Firefox
If clearing the browser as explained above did not help, reset Mozilla Firefox:
- Open Mozilla Firefox browser and click the Menu.
- Go to Help and then choose Troubleshooting Information.
- Under Give Firefox a tune up section, click on Refresh Firefox…
- Once the pop-up shows up, confirm the action by pressing on Refresh Firefox.
Remove from Google Chrome
Do not ignore the content that might have appeared on your computer during the time the infection was on your computer. The browser add-ons, extensions, and other content may be just as dangerous as this hijacker, so you must eliminate them and reset your browser to its default settings.
Delete malicious extensions from Google Chrome:
- Open Google Chrome, click on the Menu (three vertical dots at the top-right corner) and select More tools > Extensions.
- In the newly opened window, you will see all the installed extensions. Uninstall all the suspicious plugins that might be related to the unwanted program by clicking Remove.
Clear cache and web data from Chrome:
- Click on Menu and pick Settings.
- Under Privacy and security, select Clear browsing data.
- Select Browsing history, Cookies and other site data, as well as Cached images and files.
- Click Clear data.
Change your homepage:
- Click menu and choose Settings.
- Look for a suspicious site in the On startup section.
- Click on Open a specific or set of pages and click on three dots to find the Remove option.
Reset Google Chrome:
If the previous methods did not help you, reset Google Chrome to eliminate all the unwanted components:
- Click on Menu and select Settings.
- In the Settings, scroll down and click Advanced.
- Scroll down and locate Reset and clean up section.
- Now click Restore settings to their original defaults.
- Confirm with Reset settings.
Delete from Safari
Remove unwanted extensions from Safari:
- Click Safari > Preferences…
- In the new window, pick Extensions.
- Select the unwanted extension and select Uninstall.
Clear cookies and other website data from Safari:
- Click Safari > Clear History…
- From the drop-down menu under Clear, pick all history.
- Confirm with Clear History.
Reset Safari if the above-mentioned steps did not help you:
- Click Safari > Preferences…
- Go to Advanced tab.
- Tick the Show Develop menu in menu bar.
- From the menu bar, click Develop, and then select Empty Caches.
After uninstalling this potentially unwanted program (PUP) and fixing each of your web browsers, we recommend you to scan your PC system with a reputable anti-spyware. This will help you to get rid of Home.tvstreamsurfer.com registry traces and will also identify related parasites or possible malware infections on your computer. For that you can use our top-rated malware remover: FortectIntego, SpyHunter 5Combo Cleaner or Malwarebytes.
How to prevent from getting browser hijacker
Stream videos without limitations, no matter where you are
There are multiple parties that could find out almost anything about you by checking your online activity. While this is highly unlikely, advertisers and tech companies are constantly tracking you online. The first step to privacy should be a secure browser that focuses on tracker reduction to a minimum.
Even if you employ a secure browser, you will not be able to access websites that are restricted due to local government laws or other reasons. In other words, you may not be able to stream Disney+ or US-based Netflix in some countries. To bypass these restrictions, you can employ a powerful Private Internet Access VPN, which provides dedicated servers for torrenting and streaming, not slowing you down in the process.
Data backups are important – recover your lost files
Ransomware is one of the biggest threats to personal data. Once it is executed on a machine, it launches a sophisticated encryption algorithm that locks all your files, although it does not destroy them. The most common misconception is that anti-malware software can return files to their previous states. This is not true, however, and data remains locked after the malicious payload is deleted.
While regular data backups are the only secure method to recover your files after a ransomware attack, tools such as Data Recovery Pro can also be effective and restore at least some of your lost data.
- ^ MJ Shoer. Is Your Favorite Search Engine Showing You Malicious Websites?. itllc.net site.
- ^ Data Tracking overview. Intuilab support page.
- ^ Clint Pumphrey. How do advertisers show me custom ads?. How stuff works. Tech news.
- ^ Ralph F. Wilson. 8 Steps to Developing Ad Revenue from Your Website. Practicalecommerce.com site.
- ^ Dan Grabham. How To Survive A Browser Hijack. Life Hacker news site.